Chamwe Kaira
The Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) Limited has proposed amendments to its listings requirements as part of efforts to improve corporate governance, simplify regulations and reduce compliance burdens for listed companies.
Most large companies dual-listed on the Namibian Securities Exchange (NSX) hold primary listings on the JSE.
This gives Namibian investors access to South African equities and allows South African institutional investors to invest in Namibian assets.
Namibian entities, including government and commercial banks, also issue debt on the JSE to raise capital and expand their investor base.
In a notice issued on 25 May 2026, the JSE said the proposed amendments focus on corporate governance and other matters affecting listed issuers.
The exchange invited stakeholders to submit comments on the proposals by 26 June 2026.
The JSE said the amendments form part of its broader simplification project, which aims to rewrite the listings requirements in plain language to make them easier for issuers and sponsors to understand and apply.
According to the exchange, the initiative received strong support after a consultation process launched in May 2022 under the listings review project.
The JSE said the review aims to create shorter and clearer regulatory objectives while reducing the overall size of the listings requirements.
The exchange said the process also involves reviewing the relevance of each provision to remove unnecessary administrative requirements and ensure the rules remain effective.
The JSE said any amendments that go beyond simplification would be clearly identified and explained.
The latest consultation follows an earlier announcement made on 13 August 2024, when the final sections of the listings requirements were released for public comment.
The JSE said it has completed processing comments received during the consultation phase and will now publish marked-up sections of the listings requirements together with amendment schedules for final public consultation.
A consolidated version of the revised listings requirements has also been released following the simplification process.
The exchange said the consultation documents include amendment schedules highlighting changes that are not classified as simplification amendments, updated definitions and marked-up sections of the proposed rules.
As South Africa’s licensed exchange under the Financial Markets Act of 2012, the JSE said it remains responsible for setting and enforcing listing rules while promoting stronger corporate governance and improved financial reporting standards for investors and market participants.
